The Coachman Comes to Dodge
by CoralSnakeUSA
Summary: The Wishing Star / Wormhole Saga continues with Pinocchio, Lampwick and Geppetto now in the Gunsmoke Universe.
1. The Landing

The Coachman Comes to Dodge

The Wishing Star / Wormhole saga continues.

Chapter 1 - The Landing

Outside Dodge City, Kansas, USA, 1875:

With several shots of whiskey in him Louie Pheeters lived in a world of his own. In fact he had been doing so for several years now. So what he saw was no surprise to him anymore. It was a wheeless pointed carriage like contrivance hat just seemed to slide along the prairie grass until it came to a stop. Out of it came a rather large man dressed in a red British style overcoat and a short crowned top hat which was normal. Louie however blamed the whiskey for the other two "people" to come out of the contrivance. Though both were clothed, stood upright and had hands like a man one was obviously a fox and the other obviously a cat. After seeing that Louie made what made his hundredth swearing off of drink. It would probably last a maximum of three day just like all the others.

However what Louie Pheeters saw this time was not just another of his drunken visions. It was the Coachman, John Worthington Fowlfellow and Gideon newly emerged from the wormhole created by the residual magic of SPECTRE/Pleasure Island mixing with the explosion that put SPECTRE's island stronghold out of comission.

"This is about the farthest from Pleasure Island or at least something like it in all these trips so far." Fowlfellow said. "Where do you think we are."

"From the looks of things I would say somewhere in the American state of Kansas at some time during the 1870s." The Coachman returned.

"Then maybe we can turn some Indian and Poineer boys into donkeys here." Fowlfellow said. "They are a saleable item in this place and time to farmers, gold prospectors, traveling carnivals, medicine shows and such."

"And just how do you propose to do this. The last way I had of making donkeys from boys blue up with the SPECTRE stronghold. No, we will have to come up with another creative way of making a living."

"There is always dealing Faro," Fowlfellow returned. "It was the most popular gamble in America at this time and place."

"You," the Coachman returned. "Dealing Faro in saloons in a true human ONLY world like this. SPECTRE was somewhat odd in and of its self and was willing to put up with anthropomorphic animals in their reality but I doubt the American Westerners of this era will. They are most likely to cage you for an animal act, shoot you for your pelt or just plain "swing" you as an product of witchcraft.

"Witchcraft," Flowlfellow said, "that may just be the solution."

"What do you mean? Fowlfellow." The Coachman asked intrigued."

"What if you had some kind of residual magic in you." Fowlfellow returned. "Not mind you enough to make a red star yourself but enough to attract Magica De Spell's to you when she lost control of it. Well I just remembered that 1875 was the year she lost control of that star and it went back in time of 1875."

"Yes, in Collodi, not here."

"Yes, but if my theory is right it will be attracted to you, not a particular location. That means when it comes back to 1875 it will be coming here to Kansas and not Collodi because the magical "magnet" it was attracted to, you Coachman is now here in Kansas in 1875. In the meantime I can teach you to deal Faro because you are a trul human and can go into the saloons here. We can make a pretty good living from that until the red star arrives and we have control of its wormholes and can turn boys into donkeys again with the red star having a whole new clean history.

"You are forgetting one thing," The Coachman said. "That blue fairy probably knows where we are and will bring that half pint former puppet and his father here to hunt us down and they won't be looking too nicely on us after their donkey boy friend was killed in the destruction of the SPECTRE stronghold."

"You handle the Faro. I'll handle the former puppet when he comes." Fowlfellow returned. "Violent death even of small children was a common aspect of life in Kansas cowtowns in 1875. In the meantime my guess is that the red star will land in a place as much like Pleasure Island as possible as well as being attracted to you. In this time and place the closes thing to Pleasure Island would be either a traveling carnival or a cowtown saloon. There appears to be a road to the west of us that might lead to just such a town."

"No, we don't need to be shooting kids, especially THAT one." the coachman returned.

"Who said anything about shooting." Fowlfellow said. "You forget that even though I walk like talk like and have the intelligence of a human I'm still a fox, completely capable of killing Pinocchio and Geppetto and making it look like a simple animal attack common to this time and place."

"Yes, and have every wolfer in this state coming after the hide of the man killing talking fox." the Coachman said. "And Fowlfellow you still don't seem to get it concerning Pinocchio. If a way to do it is coming to us again I what the half pint pain in the you know where ALIVE to turn into a DONKEY!, got it now?"

Another location outside Dodge City, Kansas, USA, 1875:

The Blue fairy landed her transport bubble on the Western Cattle Trail. The most famous entry into Dodge city. Pinocchio was dressed now in the same Tuscan Tyrolean style that he wore as a puppet, Lampwick and Geppeto were also restored to a Tuscan Tyrolean style clothing. The idea of the return to that style of clothing was to explain them as a simple Immigrant family attempting to get to Dodge after having gotten lost. The idea that they were living Pinocchio Characters or actors playing rolls of such characters would not be valid for a time and place that was at least five and a half years before even the first glimmer of the fairy tale based on their lives was known to the man who made their home town his pen name.

Ever since he first heard the word America was an exciting place to Pinocchio and one of the reasons for this was coming from due south. It took the form of riders on horses, not donkeys, with broad brimmed hats and revolvers in holsters hanging at their hips with leather chaps over their pants and leather vests over their shirts and pointed toed boots. Behind them were the first of a large herd of cattle with horns that stretched out of the sides of their heads even longer than Pinocchio's nose when he lied. The famous Texas Longhorns on which the summer Dodge City economy thrived.

"That's a trail drive." Pinocchio announced excitedly but quietly. "A real American trail drive."

"Well whatever they are they would appear to be our way into town. Lampwick said. "Remember Pinokey, a lot about places like Dodge City is exactly like Pleasure Island so we have to avoid those temptations as much as possible."

"The riders who were the outfits trail boss and his immediate associates were only too glad to help the apparent immigrant family and made arrangements for them to ride with the trail cook in the chuck wagon into Dodge city.

From the first site of it Dodge was an amazing place. Unlike Collodi which was built nearly entirely from brick this entire town seemed to be made out of wood frame constriction. Only the jail was of all brick construction. The businesses represented were highlighted by five four well known saloons which were the places Lampwick was warning Pinocchio about. Of these the Long Branch was the most elaborate and appeared to have a Woman owner. In addition to the saloons there was a bank, a freight office, a dress shop,

a more family oriented eatery called Del Monico's, a general store, a blacksmith's shop, a doctors office,

A billiard hall (another place to stay from), and the jail. In front of the jail a man in gray pants with suspenders and a white shirt with one leg in a normal sitting position and the other leg straight out in front of him for some reason was in a chair with his broad brimmed hat over his face, apparently sleeping. Geppetto immediately assumed that the man could not be Marshal Dillon because his straight leg was either lamed or a peg leg from an amputation. Pinocchio, Geppetto and Lampwick approached the man very cautiously as it seemed that revolvers were very ubiquitous in this community. Without surprise his Geppetto's percussion blunderbuss would be useless against these more advanced firearms as Geppeto learned in the 1971 timeline he had come to this time line from. However when it was seen that the man in the chair did not wear a gun belt Geppetto took the gamble to approach him in conversation.

"Stranger," Geppetto said. "We are looking for Marshal Dillon."

The man lifted his hat to see three people dressed in Tuscan Tyrolean clothing, something very unusual for dodge. Gypsies had passed through from time to time but these were the first Tuscans he had ever seen.

"Matt won't be back until tomorrow." the man said. "But maybe I can help you, My name is Chester Goode and I'm in charge of the office when Matt is out of town.

"Well maybe you can help, Chester." Pinocchio said. "We are looking for somebody else new to your town.

He is a rather large man with a British accent and a long red coat with a short crowned top hat."

"You must mean Mr. Coachman." The new Faro dealer at the Bull's Head Saloon. "However I would advise either of you boys not to go near that place and wait for him until his shift ends."

"Don't worry, Chester." Lampwick said. "We are both WELL AWARE of the hazards to kids our age of smoking and drinking. All we really want to know is if he is here and that question has been answered."

Chester was shocked that kids would know about the effects of smoking and drinking, especially that smaller younger one. He would be really shocked however if he knew the FULL effect it had on Lampwick on Pleasure Island, an effect that was headed for Dodge City.

"Now we must concern ourselves with a place to stay while we are here." Geppetto said to Chester.

"There are two, the Dodge House and Ma' Smolly's" Chester returned. "And for You I would suggest Ma's. That Faro dealer Mr. Coachman is staying at the Dodge House and I really don't think you two should meet since the two of you do appear to have some antagonism for each other. Anyway Ma's is the cheaper of the two places and you folks don't look like you have very much money.

**Next - The Fox meets the Wolfer - John Worthington Fowlfellow REFORMS after a heroic deed by Pinocchio when Fowlfellow is at the mercy the Wolfer, Festus Haggen.**


	2. The Fox Meets the Wolfer

Chapter 2 - The Fox Meets the Wolfer

Ma' Smolly's Boarding House - Dodge City, Kansas. 1875:

The Woman running the boarding house looked to be in late Middle age. When though Dodge City was a simple wood frame town for the most part she dressed in an elegant city proprietress style. In striped dresses. True to her ways she was quite willing to help the lost family that the first trail drive of the season brought in. In fact Ma' Smolly admired the Tyrolean Tuscan garb the Old men and the two boys wore. There however was the matter of the anthropomorphic cricket but he spent most of his time safely unseen under Pinocchio's various hats during their rather strange travels by the of the Wishing Star. It was especially important that he stay hidden in this time, six years before any of these peoples' stories began.

"Here are your rooms," Ma' Smolly said. "Hope you enjoy your stay in Dodge. By the way where are you headed?" her question was directed at Pinocchio.

"We really don't know yet." Pinocchio said not wanting to tell a lie and revealing his growing nose for the truth was that they really didn't know why the Blue Fairy was continuing their mission against the Coachman now that he was locked in a place in space and time where he would never turn boys into donkeys again and was sure to "swing" for some other type of capital felony within a months time because of his nature.

"A secretive little one, huh" Ma Smolly said to Pinocchio. "Can you at least give your name little fellow."

"That I can do," Pinocchio returned. "It's Pinocchio."

"And I'm Romeo," Lampwick Interrupted. "But most people call me Lampwick or Lampy because I'm tall and skinny like the wick of an oil lamp."

"And you?" Ma' Smolly's next question was directed at Geppetto.

"Gepetto," Geppetto returned. "You might say I'm the adoptive father of these two boys."

"Fine." Ma' Smolly returned. "I'll leave you alone now."

Once Ma' Smolly left Pinocchio removed his hat and took out the matchbox that he had hidden in it from the moment the groups journeys across the Wishing Star began and opened it to reveal the anthropomorphic cricket inside. "Jiminy?," Pinocchio asked. "What do you think the reason for this latest trip is?"

"I've been thinking on that." Jiminy answered "And it does seem that I remember something very important about the summer of 1875 back in Collodi and in our original timeline. It was the time that Monstro came to the waters off Tuscany and the boys started disappearing. I hate to say it but we may be here to deal with an old enemy a RED STAR armed Coachman again."

"You mean to say the red star is coming Dodge City in this timeline and not to Collodi in the original timeline!" Pinocchio asked both excitedly and fearfully.

"Looks like it, Ponoke." Jiminy returned. "That thing seems attracted to the Coachman in some way. Therefore when Magica De Spell Loses control of it in the Duckburg world of the 1950s and it drops back to 1875 it will be coming to wherever the Coachman is and that is the Dodge City of Marshal Matt Dillon now."

"But if it is the red star again then how are we to stop him?" Pinocchio asked. "We couldn't stop him with the entirety of the Junior Woodchucks organization in 1955, He escaped down that barrel ride into James Bond's timeline in 1971."

"I don't know but I think that the best place to do so would be the Dodge City Jail."

"And how do we get him there?" Pinocchio asked.

"I already think we know the way to make that happen too." Jiminy said. "If the Coachman really is dealing Faro at the Bull's Head then he learned the game from that "Honest John Worthington Fowlfellow and if he did he is sure to cheat. You just get me near to the Bull's Head and I'll slip in and see just how "Honest" the Coachman is at the game. Once he is caught cheating one of us can get the word to Chester Goode or Marshal Dillon if he has returned and then we will have the Coachman right where we want him.

The Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

As a general rule Kitty Russel was not crazy about Faro banks, especially when they dealt for the competition. However the one talking to the wolfer, Festus Haggen was a little too much for her to handle and his story of a fox that killed a person and stile his clothes was a little too much to be believed. She was about the same age as Ma Smolly but still had a strong aura of outer beauty about her. She tended to wear the same loud dresses as her saloon girls did but they were more covering than the saloon girl's dresses were. Mostly she and Doc Adams just watched the Faro bank only known to them as Mr. Coachman like a hawk from the Long Branch's bar.

Meanwhile the conversation at the table where the Faro bank and the wolfer sat was finally getting to the point. The bottom line was the Coachman finally had enough of John Worthington Fowlfellow's services and was going to terminate his employment eternally using the wolfer's services.

Festus Haggen, the wolfer was pretty much always dressed for his job all the time in rather loose fitting pants with a dirty white shirt tucked into them and a leather vest. His face was that of an unshaven man in his late twenties topped with a tall campaign style hat without the "Montana peak" dimples in it. At his side was a well used Colt 45 Peacemaker revolver holstered in an equally used gun belt and holster set. His pants were tucked into rather old pointed toed boots which appeared to be the footware style for men of this time and place.

"How would like to make some REAL money, bloke." The Coachman asked Festus. He also dropped a rather substantial bag of gold now processed into fake nuggets so that they would look like the findings of a prospector onto the table so it would open wide."

"And just what animal do you want me to kill for that, old skudder." Festus returned. "The fabled white buffalo."

"No." the Coachman returned. "Your target will be that most unusual fox I was telling Miss Kitty about."

"You mean to tell me that you want me to waste my good old time chasing after a fox wearing clothes!" Festus snapped. "You must be as whiskeyed up as Louie Pheeters if you believe a story like that."

"If you don't believe me then just be at the back door of the Bull's Head tonight." the Coachman said. "And bring your wolf gun. The fox in question skulks around the rear of the Bull's Head for some reason at night. Perhaps to find some other unfortunate to kill. In addition to my money I can guarantee that he will produce a most unusual pelt for sale."

"Well," Festus returned. "I'll just try to meet your strange fox behind the Bull's Head tonight. And While I'm at it I will just see exactly how honest your "Bucking the Tiger" game is." Festus continued using the traditional cowtown and mining camp name for the game of Faro."

"Good." The Coachman returned. Then he got up and made straight for the swinging doors of the Long Branch.

As the Coachman left he continued talking to him self. "No more Hi Diddle De De, tis this and that for me while I pour money down the transcendental idiot rathole that keeps singing that song. He made a beeline straight to the Bull's Head to begin another Faro session.

"I wonder what he meant by that remark." Dick Adams said.

"Who knows," Kitty Russel returned. "I just know that man gives me the creeps and is probably a cheat. I'm going to have the Marshal look in on him when he comes back."

Between the General Store and the Bull's Head Saloon, Dodge City Kansas, 1875:

Pinocchio got as close as to dared to any of the Saloons. The places just reminded him too much of Pleasure Island had he felt sure he was going to turn into a donkey if he got any closer to the Bull's Head with the red star on the way. However this was the best place to let Jiminy go so he could be a cricket on the wall in the Bull's Head. After letting Jiminy out of his matchbox Pinocchio returned to the general store and made a pretense of window shopping at the toys in the windows. None of them were of the quality his father produced but all seemed to be the product of mass manufacturing processes.

Jiminy took the opportunity of Pinocchio's "window shopping" to hop in long distance cricket hops to the Bull's Head entrance. He crept in observing the mammoth to him swinging doors above to make sure their opening didn't announce the entering or leaving of a patron. A few more concealed hops later brought him to the Coachman's faro table where he hid himself amongst the betting checks. The table was occupied by four rugged drovers from the trail drive that brought Pinocchio's family into Dodge in addition to the Case Keeper. The Case Keeper was a Bull's Head saloon girl who kept track of the cards played in the game in an abacus like device of the same name.

Jiminy did not know the game but he did know that any cheating would probably involve the dealing box, the cards or both. He watched the play very carefully as the Coachman announced the winning and losing cards and placed them in their respective piles.

"Nine loses, queen wins." He heard the Coachman say. Jiminy knew that there would be a bet settling period before the next turn and its announcement.

It happened in the very next turn that Jiminy observed. Jiminy saw the Coachman push a hidden button on the dealing box as he pulled a card and announced the turn result.

"Jack loses, jack wins, split." was the Coachman's announcement. Jiminy could see that there was a rather large bet on the Jack that the Coachman would get half of in a split. Indeed producing false splits through "brace" or cheating capable dealing boxes as a way to boost the house percentage was a common way of cheating in the game of Faro on the part of the "bank" or dealer. Jiminy had all he needed and prepared to leave when he was seen by one of the drovers, a tall young man of twenty but apparently just as a normal cricket and not an anthropomorphic one. What Jiminy didn't know was that that his inadvertent appearance was going to achieve the entire result that He and Pinocchio wanted/

"Hay," The young drover said to the Coachman. "You've got bugs on your table, for distractions no doubt."

"And just what do you mean by that." The coachman returned.

"I mean I think you cheat." The drover returned. "I think you let the bugs jump all over the place to distract us while you push a button to make splits on that "brace" box of yours."

"Just sit down and play." The Coachman said. "The bug if you saw one was just a bug. It had nothing to do with me."

"The drover pulled a well used Colt Peacemaker revolver form his holster. "Now I'll tell you what you are going to do fat man." First you're going to let me look at those cards and that dealing box of yours and If I find what I think I'm going to find you get to give us our money back or get an extra belly button GOT IT!"

Suddenly a shot did ring out but not from the drover. It came form a colt peacemaker with a full cavalry length barrel and perfect staghorn grips in the hand of a tall athletic brown haired clean shaven man wearing the usual pointed toed boots with tan pants and a red shirt with a darker tan vest covering a red shirt. On that shirt was the Badge of a U S Marshal. His outfit was topped with an off white toward the tan broad brimmed hat. Mat Dillon had returned to Dodge.

"Now put that away and tell me what is going on here." Mat told the drover in a very demanding tone.

"This new Faro dealer cheats." was the drover's return in an equally snappy voice. "He lets bugs loose on his table to distract us while he sets something in that "brace" box of his."

Marshal Dillon did not take cheating lightly. He went Immediately to the Faro table and inspected the equipment and found the drover was telling the truth, the dealing box was braced to produce "splits" and raise the house percentages of games using it.

"What's your name, Mister." Marshal Dillon demanded.

"You can just call me Coachman," the Coachman returned. "And if you put me in Jail you are going to be the first one to regret it even before those two half pint Italian boys and their father that followed me here if they did."

Matt Dillon who was on friendly terms with Native American and Black people did not take kindly to the bigotry if the eastern city people, nor did he take kindly to threats on his own person. "It will be a LONG time before you can do anything to me or a couple of innocent children that just happen to be from another country when in fact you seem to be a British Citizen yourself. Now Move," were the last words he gave in his demanding voice.

Behind the Bull's head Saloon, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

John Worthington Fowlfellow wondered what was going on. He always met the Coachman at sun down at the back door to the Bull's Head Saloon in order to discuss future plans for when the red star returned for him, but the Coachman was not there. Soon he heard the footsteps of someone but they were considerably Lighter than the obese coachman's. Soon the man arrived. He was dressed in loose prairie hunter's clothing with a tallish broad brimmed hat. Instead of his handgun which he kept holstered he carried a Winchester 1873 rifle with the forestalk removed to make it lighter and even more maneuverable. Fowlfellow had heard of this man before when listening in secret to saloon gossip. He was Festus Haggen, the wolfer.

Festus manipulated the lever on his rifle which cocked its hammer and introduced a .44/40 round into its firing chamber. "So that Coachman fellow was correct." Festus said. "You are for real, not only wearing clothes but even standing upright like a man. Yes, your pelt will fetch a good price in addition to the gold Mr. Coachman is going to give me for this shot."

While waiting for the bullet Fowlfellow thought back to the closest thing to a friendship he had ever developed with the little puppet boy Pinocchio back in Collodi. Yes, at the time Pinocchio was just another "mark" to sell to a Gypsy puppet master and have turned into a donkey by the very creep that hired this wolfer to kill him now, but he never lost Pinocchio's friendship despite those bad things. Suddenly a brightly colored flash came, but not from Festus's rifle. It was a boy in brightly colored Tyrolean Tuscan clothing pushing the rifle barrel so the muzzle pointed away from Fowlfellow when it fired. Even though he was a real boy now he was still recognizable to Fowlfellow as Pinocchio.

"Now what did you do that for young 'un?" Festus asked Pinocchio.

"No, Pinocchio." Fowlfellow said." Absolutely astonishing Festus who had never seen or heard of an anthropomorphic animal in his life.

"That critter can actually talk," Festus said absolutely flabbergasted. He now realized why Pinocchio deflected his shot even at risk to himself as guns were always dangerous at the barrel end. This boy and this talking fox had some kind of relationship with one another in parts unknown.

"Let Mr. Haggen take his shot." Fowlfellow said. "It's probably the best thing considering those bad things I've done to you."

"I'm just as responsible for those bad things as you are." Pinocchio returned. "When the time actually came I WANTED to be an actor rather than go to school and I WANTED to do those bad things on Pleasure Island. You may have led me to those paths but I was the one who went down them."

"But I'll probably always be a crook. If I survive this moment."

"Not necessarily," Pinocchio returned. "You remember Lampwick don't you? He was another very bad boy that you led to the same coach to Pleasure Island I was on. He fully reformed and even sacrificed himself on SPECTRE Island while You were making the escape that brought you here. He was a donkey then but he is a real boy again now."

"Even if it is possible for me to reform than how do I go about it?" Fowfellow asked.

"First drop your last name." Pinocchio answered. "Stay Honest John and more importantly be HONEST John.

"Yes." Honest John said. "I've shown too much of how low Honest John will stoop in my life. Now it is time to show how high Honest John can RISE! If that Coachman can have interesting talks about me with this wolfer, I can have some interesting talks about him with THE MARSHAL!"

"You seem to have known the REAL answer to your question before it was given, Honest John." It was not Pinocchio or Festus that spoke this time. The voice came from a blue light that became the Blue Fairy. With a wave of her wand Honest John was decked out in a new suit and top hat to replace his old ragged ones. Gideon the mute anthropomorphic cat who was hiding behind a barrel while all of this was going on also received a magical clothing makeover.

"What's going on here," Gideon said then suddenly realized he could say it. "Hay! I can talk, I'm no longer mute!"

"Festus was completely flabbergasted about this whole thing." In his own mind he was having a genuine Louie Pheeters drunken vision without having touched a drop.

"Just like with the boys I've given you tow a new lease on life." The fairy said to Honest John and Gideon. "You just have to actually live by the name you have always used with people, HONEST John by being brave truthful and unselfish. Now it is time to reveal yourselves to the Marshal."

The blue fairy then addressed Pinocchio "Jiminy was right on you reason for being here Pinocchio. The red star will be re united with the Coachman in less than a week. He must be stopped this time or the red star will have a new history and this journey will have to start all over again."

"Well, you heard the lady!" Honest John said. "There is no time to waste, ON TO THE MARSHALS OFFICE!"

All of the people and anthropomorphic animals were singing with Honest John during the march to the Marshal's office with the exception of Festus who was still flabbergasted and confused about the whole thing.

Hi Diddle Dee Dee!

It's a new life for me!

Coming by way of the bright blue light!

That's getting rid of the long black night!

Hi Diddle Dee Dee!

It's a new life for me!

Once I was bound but now I'm free!

From my old ways of dishonesty!

So you'll be surprised at what you see!

Its an New Life for me!

**Next - Pinnochio and Lampwick have to overcome their Pleasure Island related fear of at least one saloon when they are put in the care of Kitty Russel, the owner of the Long Branch when the Coachman is released.**


	3. Kitty Russel's Pleasure Island

Chapter 3 - Kitty Russel's "Pleasure Island"

Marshal's Office, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

Matt Dillon was suddenly awakened by the sound of singing headed in the direction of his office. When he opened his door and saw its source his first conclusion was that Louie Pheeters's DTs were contagious. It was coming from an upright fox in clothes accompanied by a similarly attired upright cat and the younger of the two Italian boys who were staying in town according to the Coachman he had in the offices rear cell block. Festus Haggen was accompanying them but not singing. Festus was carrying his specially made wolfer's rifle.

"When he realized that he was fully awake and not drunk Mat could come to only one conclusion about this group and that the cat and fox were actually humans in some very well done costuming as that was the only way to logically explain them."

It was at that time a separate point of light emerged from a particularly bright blue star in the sky. It became a glowing white dove with a message in its beak. It flew down and dropped the message at Matt's feet.

Mat read the gold writing on the message:

Mathew Dillon, U S Marshal, Dodge City, Kansas, USA:

The fox and cat you are seeing are real but come form another reality as does your current prisoner, the Faro cheat you know as Mr. Coachman. You must listen to the fox as he has important information about your prisoner and his reason for being here.

The Blue Fairy.

After reading the message Matt knew that his orderly world was being invaded not by a drunken vision but by a genuine different reality. Of course he had no knowledge of the story of Pinocchio as either a fairy story or a reality as both of them were 6 years in the future from the point in time where Matt was standing looking at the anthropomorphic animal and normal human parade headed in his direction. Matt felt that the best way to handle the situation was to go into his office and wait for them. Mat also knew that sooner or later he would have to release the Coachman as cheating at gambling games was a misdemeanor at best at the time. He was hoping that if this craziness was actually true that the fox would have something to lock him up longer on. Perhaps that is why Festus was accompanying him.

The ruckus had woken up Chester Goode too. He was getting out of his cot in the usually way with his normal leg first so that he could use it to stand as he brought his lame permanently straightened leg to the floor as he stood up.

"What's going on Marshal," Chester asked. "It sounds like a revival or temperance meeting or something out there."

"No, its just someone coming in with some information about the prisoner." Hopefully he'll have something that we can use to get a felony charge on the man and hold him longer, Otherwise I'm just going to have to give him a fine and tell him to leave town. And I must tell you something Chester. This witness is a very unusual person so don't be surprised at anything about him."

Suddenly the door opened and Honest John was standing at it. "Marshal." Honest John said, "I want to report an attempted murder."

"That animal is standing upright, wearing clothes and talking." Chester remarked. "Are you sure that we aren't drunk or dreaming."

"No he is pretty real alright." Matt said to Chester than directed his next words at Honest John. "An attempted murder, huh. Tell me about."

"It's the Faro cheat you are holding prisoner." Honest John returned. "He hired the wolfer, Festus Haggen to kill me as a wild animal in town. Now do I look wild to you. Festus is also willing to testify in this matter.

"I'm sorry." Matt returned. "You are obviously at a human level of intelligence where you come from but in this reality you still are officially an animal. I can't hold either Mr. Coachman or Mr. Haggen on a charge of attempted murder in your case. I'm going to have to release Mr. Coachman."

"Is there any way you can stop this?" Honest John asked. "You see. Mr. Coachman is waiting for a certain little package to come to Dodge and when he gets it he fully intends to subject the boy that is accompanying me and the other boy at Ma' Smolly's to a horrible fate I can't explain to you right now."

"If it's those boys that you are worried about I can arrange another place for them to stay." Matt returned. "Miss Kitty has rooms at the Long Branch that could accommodate them and she has a shotgun behind her bar that will deal with Mr. Coachman if he should try anything."

"Yes but you are talking a saloon here." Honest John said, "Hardly an appropriate place for growing boys,

And on top of that one of their horrible experiences involved a saloon like environment on an island off the coast of their original home village of Collodi."

"Well they will just have to overcome that bad experience. Mat said. "Of all the people I know in the immediate vicinity other than Ma' Smolly, Miss Kitty is the best with children and also has the best means of protecting them. And I'll also assure you she won't keep the boys in any part of her establishment where alcoholic drinks are served or games of chance are played."

"Chester." Matt ordered. "Accompany Mr. Honest John here to Ma' Smolly's and pick up the other boy and take them both to the Long Branch.

The cell block in the Marshals office was a two cell accommodation with a side cell at the right and a rear cell that formed an inverted L shape with the free space of the cell block area occupying the left side of the block. Mr. Coachman was in the rear cell, the one that Matt most often used. He went to the rear cell unlocked it and opened it.

"Mr. Coachman." Mat said. "You paid your fine and you are free to go. However I don't what to hear of you running a Faro bank in Dodge again for the remainder of your stay which I would recommend you male VERY short."

"You can be assured that as soon as my little package arrives and a pay a few little debts with it to a certain former pine block, a certain former donkey and a certain former accomplice of mine with it I will be leaving your little jerkwater town faster than you can imagine." the Coachman returned.

"I don't know what they mean by that." Matt said. "But if you are referring to those two Italian boys and the fox they are being relocated to a safe place right now."

"No place will be safe when my package comes, Marshal." The Coachman said. "No place."

Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

"What are you selling here now, ICE CREAM!" One of the drovers joked to Kitty Russel when he saw her spiriting two boys in colorful Tuscan Tyrolean clothing through the swinging doors of the Long Branch Saloon and up the stairs to the upstairs rooms.

"Well that just might be a good idea. It would save a lot of whiskey caused property damage every time you

Texas drovers come hi this place. And furthermore you had better keep quiet in town about these boys being here."

"And what if we don't" the drover asked in a threatening manner.

"Then I will just have to use both barrels of my shotgun." Kitty returned. "One for the Faro banking creep that's out to harm them and the other for anyone who opens their mouth about them, GOT IT!"

The drover had "seen the elephant" at the long brance enough times to know about Kitty and that shotgun. He made a secret arrangement with himself not to discuss the two boys publically. Kitty continued up the stairs with them and escorted them to the very end room in the upper hallway.

"This will be your home until that Faro bank that is after you leaves town." Kitty told them. "But if I'm keeping you here I should know your names."

"Pinocchio," The younger boy said.

"You can call me Lampwick" the older boy said.

"Your REAL name young man." Kitty returned.

"Romeo" the older boy returned.

"I would also like to know the name of the Faro bank if you know it." Kitty said.

"We don't." Pinocchio said. "He is just the Coachman to us just as he is to you. And you can believe that because my nose grows whenever I lie."

"Not only that." Lampwick said. "But we have to be careful about spending too much time in your place. I just might turn into a jackass again."

"Boy do we have a pair of great imaginations here." Kitty returned. "You two could write fairy tales about these things." Now I think you should get in the room and stay there until Matt says that Coachman has left town and It's safe for you to return to Ma' Smolly's and your father."

The boys knew it was probably best to obey this female saloon owner as she seemed to be as tough as the men of the trail drives and the town. She then went down stairs to the table where Doc Adams, Mat and Chester always sat.

"You wont believe those two." Kitty said to Doc. "The stories their minds can conjure up. One of them believes that his nose grows if he lies and the other believes that saloons turn him into a donkey."

"I wouldn't short change their beliefs." Matt said. "It appears that all the new strangers in town come not only from another country but even a different reality than ours where some fairy tale we are currently unaware of is real history including Mr. Coachman."

Matt passed the message he received from the Blue Fairy to Kitty. From the minute she felt the paper of the message she realized it was nothing that could be produced by current paper making methods anywhere on earth. "You mean that Dodge has become a part of some fairy tale that hasn't been written yet."

"Now come on Matt." Doc the scientific and "logical" one of the foursome said. "That is just plain nonsense."

"Well, Doc." Matt said I think this just might be real considering the virtually man like fox that came to my office this morning and tried to press charges of attempted murder against Mr. Coachman for hiring Festus to kill him."

"WHAT!" Doc returned. "Are you sure you aren't taking nips on the side and not becoming another Louie Pheeters!"

"Well If I am than so are you." Matt returned. "Take a look at that just came through the swinging doors."

Dock turned to see Honest John headed toward the table accompanied by Gideon.

"Hello, Miss kitty." Honest John said. "I was just coming to see if you needed a Faro bank. I assure you my game will be one hundred percent on the square and I will even use your equipment and cards if you wish."

"Sorry, but I generally don't go with Faro banks here, even honest ones." Miss Kitty returned. "However there is something you can do for me since you are obviously a part of this thing whatever it is our town was thrust into. I have the two boys who are a part of it in one of my upstairs rooms and they may need a familiar face to keep them company for a while."

"Pinocchio, Lampwick, in a place like this!" Honest John said. "NOT A GOOD IDEA! One of them was turned into a donkey and the other almost turned into a donkey in a place like this in their home reality."

"Well." Matt said. "The room in this saloon they are in now is the best protected room we have now for them. Even better than the Jail. You do seem extraordinarily worried about them, Why."

"I think you should know that I was once a criminal associate of Mr. Coachman's." Honest John returned.

That is until he decided to hire that wolfer Haggen to terminate our arrangement eternally. Well, that younger one Pinocchio saved my life from Haggen's rifle even after all the bad things I did to him in that other reality for Mr. Coachman and another crook named Stromboli. In return for that I want to protect, him form Mr. Coachman and any bad effects this place might have on him now."

Miss Kitty saw that the fox was sincere in his reformed ways and went behind the Long Branch's bar to get her shot gun. "If you want to be the one to protect those boys than protect them." She returned to the table and gave the shotgun to the fox. "We would rather this town be no more part of the reason you all are here than it has to be. You will find the boys upstairs in the last room."

Honest John went up to the stairs and to the last door in the hallway. He knocked on it hoping it would be Pinocchio who answered knowing that Lampwick did not know about his reform and split with the Coachman yet. Honest john was in luck, the boy who answered was Pinocchio.

"What are you doing here Honest John?" Pinocchio asked.

"I have the job as your protector now." Honest John said. He showed the shotgun to Pinocchio making sure it was pointed in a safe direction.

"Then come on in." Pinocchio said.

Once he was inside Lampwick got an eyeful of Honest John in his new suit. "What is he of all people doing here?" Lampwick asked Pinocchio.

"Well, the Blue Fairy gave him another chance just like she did with us." Pinocchio said. "We should respect that."

"I'll respect it if he can tell us one thing." Lampwick returned. "When does he expect the red star to come to Dodge."

"I would say that we have three days at most." Honest John returned.

"That's bad news." Pinocchio said.

"Why do you say that?" Honest John asked.

"Because unlike the two of you I've been to school and learned about some of the ways of America." Pinocchio returned. "Three days from now the trail drive season is going to be in full swing here in Dodge.

That means that this whole town is about to become a "Pleasure Island" replica where ADULTS make jackasses out of themselves, At least figuratively speaking. What is coming is a period of fights, shooting, saloon busting, store busting, gambling, smoking and boozing that will go on for at least three weeks. Any hope of stopping the Coachman from re uniting with the red star in this reality will be virtually nil with all that going on."

Already looking out the window of their room and hearing the goings on in the actual saloon below them. Honest John, Pinocchio, and Lampwick could see ever more drovers coming into town and Texas longhorn cattle in the roads in ever increasing numbers. And the perpetual party starting down stairs was becoming ever more boisterous reminding them fully of Pleasure Island.

"This is no place for boys who have been through Pleasure Island to be." Honest John said. "I vote we get out of here and maybe the Coachman will follow us out of this town where we can handle him without this cattle drive lunacy going on."

"No." Pinocchio said. "Remember, your new life requires that you have to be brave, truthful, and unselfish.

"If we just remember that we will never fall for the temptations of Pleasure Island, no matter where they are occurring. Marshal Dillon will keep these drovers in check. That's his job. Keeping the Coachman from getting that red star back is ours.

"But you said that doing so is a hopeless task with the trail drive season in full swing." Honest John said.

"It may be, but that is what we were put here for." Pinocchio returned.

Hones john began the vigil at the rear window of the Long Branch Saloon that would continue for the remaining three days.

Next - Conclusion of this part of the saga - The red star comes to Dodge.


	4. The Red Star Comes to Dodge

Chapter 4 - The Red Star Comes to Dodge

The Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

Pinocchio, Lampwick, Honest John and Jiminy spent most of their time in the protected upstairs room of the Long Branch Saloon trying to figure out what kept attracting the red star to the Coachman.

It was Jiminy who came up with the idea. It seamed that it was not necessarily the Coachman that was attracting the red star. But the Coachman together with Pleasure Island.

"Think about this," Jiminy said standing upright on a chest of drawers. "Where did the red star originally fall in 1875. On Pleasure Island. Where was it making bad boys into donkeys for the Coachman originally, On Pleasure Island. Where was it used to attempt to bring anthropomorphic animal boys from the Duckburg world into our original world, on a revival of Pleasure Island of the Duckburg coast. Where did it deposit The Coachman, Honest John and Gideon when they escaped from Duckburg through one of its wormholes, On Pleasure Island in a future where it became SPECTRE Island. Finally where is it going to come to the Coachman now. In a town that will become an adult version of PLEASURE ISLAND when this trail drive season reaches its peak."

"Just what are you getting at?" Honest John asked.

"I'm getting to the idea that Pleasure Island or at least the IDEA of Pleasure Island connects all these worlds together just as much as the red star and the Wishing Star do. We do seem to see ALL THREE together in one form or another in all the places and times we went on this journey to stop the Coachman."

"And," Lampwick returned.

"What this all comes down to is I thing I have the way to stop the Coachman cold this time. You know his line that all bad boys make jackasses out of themselves at the end. Well, we are going to turn HIM into a donkey."

"And just how do you propose to do that?" Lampwick asked.

"Simple we will arrange things so that it is the Coachman and not us that is exposed to the red star when it comes. This involves Pinocchio's nose."

"If you are thinking of using its growing ability that only works when I lie." Pinocchio said.

"No, you won't really be lying Pinocchio." Jiminy returned. "There is one truth that I believe will make your nose grow. It is the one thing that did not play out in all the places we have been, your origin as a living puppet. That is the truth in 1881 in our original world but it is not the truth six years earlier in 1875 before even the fairy tale about our history was written in this Dodge City's world. Therefore announcing it in 1875 should make your nose grow even though you are not actually lying."

"But how are you proposing that we bring Pinokey and the Coachman together when he has that red star without Pinokey being turned into a donkey." Lampwick asked.

"I think I know how to handle that department." Honest John said. "Remember that song Stromboli and I taught you when I sold you to him as an "actor". We'll I propose that you entertain the drovers here at the long branch with it. Its theme will even provide the excuse to tell your "lie" and get that nose of yours growing."

"Yes, I remember the song," Pinocchio returned, "but I still don't see how my growing nose is going to stop the Coachman and turn him into a donkey."

"Because," said Jiminy. "That nose of yours is the one thing about you that the Coachman does not know about. It is the one thing that can disarm him of the containment box he is probably going to capture the red star in."

"Now I get it." Pinocchio said to Jiminy. "You want my nose to grow and knock the box out of his hands."

"Good, Pinocchio." Jiminy returned.

"Well now I think I'll do my part for this little group of yours and see Miss Kitty about setting up a show for Pinocchio tonight." Honest John said.

"And remember it must be tonight." Jiminy said. According to all my calculations this is when the red star falls and for everything to be correct it has to fall in the most Pleasure Island like environment available and in this world it is this saloon at the height of the trail drive season."

"And I think I'm the one to propose just such a little show to Miss Kitty." Honest John took Kitty's shotgun in hand. "And to make sure things go all right I'll just make sure that Gideon is attending the show with this. A far more effective weapon that that big mallet he likes to carry around."

With that Honest John left the room and descended the stairs.

"Miss Kitty," he said to the female owner of the saloon. "I think it's time we did a little to earn our keep around here. You see Pinocchio is the best little song and dance man west of the Mississippi and he has volunteered to put on a little show for the Drovers tonight."

"I don't know bout the idea of children entertaining drunks and saloons." Miss Kitty said. "It does not sound like a good idea to me.

"Oh, but he wants to do this show." Honest John returned. "Especially since this will be our last night here in Dodge. Actually I think the reason we were put here is happening tonight in this saloon and Pinocchio must be a part of it."

"What exactly is going on in my saloon tonight?" snapped Kitty. "And I want the truth out of you. All of you including that Faro bank Coachman seem to come from a reality different from ours that is somehow interfering with ours."

"Well I can't tell you very much because quite frankly all this is over my head too." Honest John returned. "But I can tell you that ending our involvement with this world does involve Pinocchio's show and the presence of Mr. Coachman in this saloon."

"Go ahead with what you are planning but you can be sure that I'm going to have the Marshal, Chester, and Festus here ARMED to make sure nothing happens to that boy." Kitty said.

"And I'm just as concerned for him as you are." Honest john said. "I will add my associate Gideon armed with your shotgun to your little posse to protect him while he was performing."

After Miss Kitty gave Honest John Permission for the show she summoned her bartender. "Sam," she said,

"WHISKEY."

Of all the people in the Long Branch saloon Sam and the long branch piano player were the most colorfully dressed until the Arrival of Pinocchio and Lampwick. Both of the wore clean white shirts with a combination bow and hanging tie with black pants and pointed toed boots covered by red flower and leaf patterned vests covering the shirt. Both also had black arm garters on their sleeves.

Around four o'clock in the afternoon Honest John returned to the main saloon floor to give the piano player a rather hastily written musical score.

"You think that you'll be able to play this tonight." Honest John asked the Piano player.

"I certainly can play this despite its being rather hastily written." The piano player said. "However it does seem rather childish and I don't think the drover's will be very interested in hearing it."

"That is because a child is going to be singing the lyrical parts of this." Honest John returned.

"You mean one of those boys upstairs is going to perform on the saloon floor tonight." The piano player shouted. "How did you ever get Miss Kitty to go along with that."

"I just told her the truth." Honest John said "This will definitely be our last night here and one of the boys, Pinocchio wants to give this performance here to pay for his protection."

"Well he fancies himself the little song and dance man, huh." the piano player said. "Well, we'll see how the drovers like this, I sure hope the Marshal will be here to sort things out.

The drovers coming into the Long Branch that night were wondering why the area near the piano was made up to look like a marionette theatre. The wondered also why the area was guarded by the Marshal Dillon and his immediate associates with guns drawn. They also wondered about the extra large chair that seemed to be the closest to the large puppet show like assembly. Several well known Long Branch saloon girls were also present in the show area with longer more dignified dresses than the frilly saloon attire they usually wore representing those of other nations of the world.

The first answer was soon in coming as a British accented man with an ample gut came into the saloon and plopped himself in the large chair. In his hand he carried a wooden box with arcane symbols on it.

Soon the whole puppet show theme became obvious as the star performer of the night came down in the form of a colorfully dressed Tuscan Tyrolean Italian boy. Of all the people there only the Marshal Dillon saw that the man was pointing what liked to be a door in his box in Pinocchio's direction and keeping it pointed that way. Other well known Dodge City personalities like Doc Adams were there too. Even Louie Pheeters was present even though Miss Kitty made it quite plane to everyone including Louie that no alcohol would be served during the show because a child was involved.

At first this whole thing seemed rather childish to the drovers present but as soon as it got started even they were becoming very fascinated by the colorful little bundle of energy that danced and sang amongst the girls in tune to the piano.

I've got no strings - to hold me down!

To make me fret or make me frown!

I had strings, but now I'm Free!

There are no Strings on me!

Hi-ho the marry-o - I'm as happy as can be!

I want the world to know - Nothing ever worries me!

I've got no strings, So I have fun!

I'm not tied up - to anyone!

How I love my liberty!

There are no Strings on me!

The song was followed by more dancing to the same melody albeit with a western saloon piano sound to it with the various foreign dressed saloon girls. The whole thing finally ended in with a Russian dance musical style and while all this was going on a red laser like light only the fat man in the large chair, the Coachman could see came down to the box that the Coachman was holding. He had recaptured the red star!

The coachman waited for a point in the dance where Pinocchio would not be around any of the saloon girls.

Then he would open the door in the box that would expose Pinocchio to the red star's light. In this way he would have his perfect record of having NO boy ever enter Pleasure Island without eventually becoming a donkey.

As the Russian part of the show continued even the drovers who thought this whole thing childish were clapping their hands in unison and getting involved with the performance.

Suddenly the piano music stopped and Pinocchio concluded the act. "There are no strings on me."

Pinocchio was in an exposed position now. The Coachman prepared to open the red star's box on him when Doc. Adams asked the exact Question Pinocchio needed.

"Just where did that song come from." Doc asked "I've never heard it before, even when I was a kid in school."

Pinocchio aimed his nose directly at the red star's box and gave the answer. "I learned it in my home town when I was a living puppet."

Suddenly his nose grew with the speed of a chameleon's tongue knocking the red star's box out of the Coachman's hands and into the air as if it was hit by a bullet. As it came down Lampwick who was also attending Pinocchio's show at close quarters caught it."

"Well Mr. Coachman." Lampwick said, "It is time for one of your favorite self making prophesies to come true. All bad little boys no matter how old they may get make jackasses out of themselves."

The Coachman replied by producing a pocket revolver he purchased just as Lampwick opened the box on him.

"Well, now I'm through HE HAWW! With this donkey business HE HAWW!" The coachman said with the red star taking full effect on him. "Now I'm HE HAWW! Just plain HE HAWW HE HAWW! going to kill HE HAWW! HE HAW! you Lampwick and Pinocchio. However the Coachman dropped the revolver as his hands and feet started their change into hooves. Within minutes the fate that the Coachman had given so many boys was now his. He was a completely changed into a donkey and the power of the red star was at an end. Pinocchio and Lampwick had finally accomplished their mission. They and Gepetto, and the newly minted truly Honest John and Gideon could now go home. The only choice remaining was where exactly home would be. The Tuscan village of their original world or Duckburg. There was no doubt they would have to return to Duckburg for at least one thing. Pinocchio and Geppetto left their pets Cleo the Goldfish and Figgero the kitten there so at least a temporary return to Duckburg was in order to get them back. Also the felt they should take the donkey Coachman with them back to wherever home was going to be because he was certainly not a natural part of the world they were in.

Front Street, Dodge City, Kansas, 1875:

All of the strangers met in the middle of front street. Present were the now donkey Coachman, Honest John and Gideon, Pinocchio with Jiminy Cricket under his hat as usual for transport bubble travel, Lampwick and Geppetto. Also out there were Miss Kitty, Dock Adams, Louie Pheeters, Chester Goode, and Festus Haggen.

The were soon subject to another magnificent vision surrounding these strangers. A translucent blue bubble surrounded them and lifted them into the air toward the brightest blue star in the sky.

"Now are you going to open up the bar so we can have a drink?" Louie Pheeters said.

"No, I'm closing for the night." Miss Kitty said. "There has been enough REAL strange visions around here this week without adding the false ones of whiskey to it all."

Next - While the mission is over its dangers continue as the Coachman is restored to normal by Magica De Spell as the Wishing Star - Wormhole saga concludes with the story, Wishing Star Wormhole Saga - Return To Duckburg.

Find this new Fan Fic under regular Disney stories.


End file.
